Chapter 114 Appointment

Chapter 114 FF 2
"Taking care of you won't be hard, that's basically what we did for ourselves and even worse for that goddess-abandoned family," Zara grits out, venom etched in the last sentence. Zephyra laughs.

"Remember we bathed together to save time," Meg says, laughing weakly herself.

"Oh please, Ze... Her Highness never bathed with us. Always hiding or doing so when everyone is asleep," Zara mentions assuredly. Like a fond memory.

"That isn't... true?" Zephyra tries to refute but stop. They all laugh.

"But she allowed me to bathe her," Meg says roughly. Now I'm interested.

"What?!" Zara looks at them both.

"You allowed her to bathe you? But we were closer and shared a bed."

"You weren't closer to anyone, Zara."

"I was closer to her." She points both palms at my wife.

"No you weren't, she was just the only one who didn't mind your untamed words and thoughts," Meg counters.  

"That's because you all were cowards and she wasn't."

"Yeah, any slave wouldn't want to associate with someone that speaks ragely about her master."

"Oh please... They did worse to us. I couldn't contain my anger," Zara retorts at Meg. Both women arguing yet with no hint of fight or bad blood. Just people who voice their opinion and are used to it without shutting the other up.

"That's actually why I liked her," Zephyra speaks finally and they look at her.  

"We were all timid and weak to speak or badmouth them, but hearing Zara do it was refreshing. And it's not that she spoke bad of the good people. She was just angry at the bad," my wife concludes.

"See!" Zara beams and Meg rolls her eyes with a chuckle.

'She'll make a great political ally,' my wolf says and I agree.

"So, when did you bathe her?" Zara questions, totally interested.

From the doorway, which has been slightly ajar this entire time, comes a very distinct sound.

"Yes, when did you bathe her?" Naville's voice cuts in — chirpy and loud.

Zephyra looks at the door.

Naville stands in the frame then walks in.

Beside her is a nine-year-old girl with bright eyes and a chirpy energy that already mirrors Naville’s own. The child clings to Naville’s hand but her gaze immediately lights up when she sees Zephyra.

"Naville? How are you... Oh my goodness!"

Zephyra stands immediately as she notices the girl.  

The child leaves Naville's hand and races toward my wife.

"High Priestess!" She screams and Zephyra meets her halfway.

"You said you showered for her several times," Naville says, walking in without being invited. The little girl bounces in Zephyra’s arms.

Meg and Zara stand to their feet and bow.

Naville walks closer, right behind Zephyra.

"My own sister-in-law, who I have offered to bathe on multiple occasions, would not let me near her with a loofah..."

"I can bathe myself," Zephyra replies.

"You can, you chose to let strangers."

"She's not a stranger..."

"I'm related & closer to you than her," Naville looks at Meg.

"No insult, but I saw her grow up," Meg smiles.

"She hurt her wrist," Meg finally says, with great dignity. A stab digs into my chest remembering the scar and its reason.

"She could not manage alone. So I helped her." 

"One time," Zephyra says.

"An excellent decision," Naville says, pivoting entirely. "Seems I've made a good choice. Well done, Meg." She plucks a grape from the tray on the side table as she sits.  

The little girl, the one whom my wife adopted at the airport — the girl who lost her grandpa from the proving — reaches up and steals one too, grinning.

"Welcome to the estate." 

"Thank you Lady Naville," Meg and Zara reply together.

"The High Priestess is stubborn, refuses help until she absolutely requires it, and will not ask for things she wants, so you'll need to pay attention. She likes yogurt and she's always craving pepperish pizza, which we do not have but which I have asked the kitchen to attempt. She cries when she thinks no one is watching. She talks to plants. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Naville," Zephyra chides.

"Yes?"

"Get out."

"I literally just sat down."

"Get out and let me talk to Meg."

Naville stands, steals another grape, points at both women with it, and says,  

"Watch her closely and I'll watch you both," before walking out.  

The nine-year-old girl gives Zephyra a quick wave and a bright smile before skipping after Naville, closing the door behind them with a cheerful thud.

Zephyra turns back to Meg, who is looking at the closed door with an expression of someone recalibrating everything they thought they knew about aristocratic households.

"That's Naville," Zephyra says. "She means everything she says. She's just also a lot."

"She loves you," Zara says.

"Yes." Zephyra sits down. "They all do. It's..." She pauses, looking for the word. "I'm still getting used to it."

Zephyra breathes in slowly. Then she reaches across the small table and takes the older woman's hand.

"Sit please."

"I don't think it's ideal for people who'll be serving her majesty, our king to sit with her."

"Don't be ridiculous Zara. We shared a bed."

"And no one must hear that," Meg counters.

"Even if you like it, I'm sure the council won't agree," Zara finalizes & my wife sighs.

"I don't feel good about this. I'll only be right if Naville gets you a better job."

"And chance the new lord being Zade 2.0?"

"What does that even mean Zara?"

"You're just thirty-eight Meg, stop being old."

"It means they might be worse than Zade."

"Oh goodness! That'll be disastrous," Meg screeches.

"There won't be Zade 2.0."

"Thank you."

"I'm grateful too and happy to work with a king and High Priestess," Zara adds. Then she screams,  

"Oh goodness! You're really a High Priestess?"

"I always thought you're human like us," Zara says.

"Me too. You had no wolf, power or anything." 

My wife takes a grape from the tray in Meg's hand.  

"I always thought that too."

"How great."

"And she has a two-headed wolf not just any wolf," Zara says happily.

A door knock comes in.

"Come in." My wife calls out and Kade enters.

"Your Highness, it's time to go to the palace."

Meg and Zara take two steps back and away from Zephyra’s vision, putting her in direct eyesight with Kade.

"Another day," she breathes in and stands. Both ladies and Kade bow.

"I'll prepare." Kade bows and retreats.

"And Kade," Zephyra calls. He turns back at her voice.

"You can actually call me to pass the message." He smiles.

"Noted, Your Highness."